You’ll never believe what she did. She came to visit and brought a woman friend with her. A friend she assumed I’d be interested in. How many times have I told her to stop matchmaking? But does she listen? No. She doesn’t hear a word I say. She wanted me to go dancing with them. Can you imagine? Dancing! I told her in no uncertain terms what she could do with that idea and she got angry. I figured she’d be calling you and complaining about her mean old brother.”
Jackson took a patient breath. It was the same ongoing argument between his father and aunt. Aunt Maude was lively and sociable, and his dad was happy being by himself, fishing or doing whatever he pleased. Aunt Maude didn’t understand his attitude and Jackson had a hard time with it at first. But he’d finally realized his father had spent years in the work force and after his mom’s death, just wanted some peace and quiet.
“She worries about you,” Jackson told him.
“Well, if she worries so damn much, she can come over here and cook me a meal every once in a while.”
“As a peace offering, why don’t you take her out to dinner? Someplace nice.”
“You know Maudie. She’ll want to go someplace where there’s drinking and dancing.”
“Dad,” Jackson sighed. “Aunt Maude’s always been there for you and it won’t hurt to humor her.”
A pause followed. “All right, all right,” he said irritably. I’ll take her out to eat. But if she brings another floozy over here, I’ll—”
Jackson cut in. “Just tell her how you feel—politely.”
“I do, but I think she has a hearing problem” was the wry answer. “Why didn’t you come home today?”
Jackson didn’t miss the quick change of subject, but he was glad. He’d rather not talk about Aunt Maude and how she got on his dad’s nerves. He preferred to discuss Emily.
“I was going to, but I met someone.”
“Really? Of the female persuasion?”
“Yes, Emily Cooper. Remember her?”
A pause. “Don’t think so.”
“Sure you do. Owen Cooper’s her father—a fishing guide on the coast. We stayed at their home that November before Mom died.”
“Yeah, I remember now. A pretty thing with big brown eyes. You were crazy about her, weren’t you?”
Jackson didn’t answer that. His father knew he’d been a lot more interested in Emily than in fishing. Instead, he said, “She’s a doctor now and works at the clinic where we installed the computers.”
“You don’t say.”
“Yes, and I had dinner with her tonight and I’m planning on seeing her tomorrow.”
“Life is strange,” his dad remarked.
“Sure is. I’ve got to go. Be nice to Aunt Maude.”
“I will, and you have a good time. Lord knows you deserve it.”
As Jackson hung up the phone, he planned on doing just that—enjoy his time with Emily.
THE NEXT MORNING Emily waited for Jackson to call or show up at her office, but by noon she began to get a déjà vu feeling. When she finished with her last patient for the morning, she asked Sharon if she’d had any private calls. Sharon said no, and a discomfort settled around her heart. She didn’t think she’d misjudged his sincerity, but then, she didn’t really know Jackson Talbert at all. Of one thing she was certain, she wasn’t waiting for him. She wouldn’t put herself through that again. But now that she’d screwed up her courage to tell him about the baby, she desperately wanted to…needed to. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be.
She ordered a take-out salad for lunch and was busily writing notes in patients’ charts when Sharon buzzed her.
She pushed a button on the intercom. “Yes?”
“There’s a Mr. Talbert on line two. Says it’s personal.”
Emily let out a deep breath. “Thanks, Sharon.”
She stared at the phone for a second, gathering her thoughts, then picked up the receiver. “Hello.”
“Hi, it’s Jackson.”
Her heart fluttered involuntarily at the sound of his voice.
“Yes, I know,” she said simply.
“What do you want to do tonight? You name it and we’ll do it.”
She bit her lip, remembering all the promises he’d made and remembering that he’d kept none of them. That didn’t matter. She had to talk to him; that was the important thing.
“I’ll probably get away from here about five-thirty and then I have to stop by the hospital. I won’t get home until around seven.”
“You work long hours.”
Yes, it’s what I need to keep the memories at bay.
“It’s part of my job,” she said lightly.
“You’ll be tired. Why don’t I pick something up and we’ll eat at your place and talk?”
She felt a moment of joy at his concern, but it vanished when she realized Jackson was probably hoping for a lot more than food and pleasant conversation. And he’d get it, but not the way he was expecting. Instead, he was going to get the biggest shock of his life.
“That’ll be fine,” she agreed, thinking it would be best if they met somewhere private instead of a public place. At least she’d be in her own surroundings.
“What would you like to eat?”
“Surprise me.”
There was a noticeable pause. “Okay, but remember you said that.” She could hear him smiling.
She gave him her address and they hung up, but Emily was still with him, still hearing his voice. Still experiencing the way he’d always made her feel… Oh, God, she had woven so many dreams around Jackson Talbert, and to her dismay, she found she could easily do it again. So many years, yet she could remember his touch, his smile, his energy, as if he’d never hurt her…never broken her heart. But he had. The past stood between them like a brick wall they couldn’t scale or tear down. Tonight, though, she’d make an attempt to dismantle the barrier brick by brick, and when she was through there’d be nothing left but the truth. A truth that would be stronger than any wall ever built, separating her and Jackson forever. She was preparing herself for the worst.
The rest of the day, between patients and rounds, she kept rehearsing what she had to say, but nothing seemed right. How did you tell a man he had a daughter he’d never see? She didn’t know, and finally decided there were no right words. She just had to do it.
They’d agreed to meet at eight. She drove into her garage a little before that and hurried inside, hoping she had a chance to shower and change
